The present invention relates, in general, to methods and systems for monitoring the condition of vehicles. More specifically, the present invention pertains systems for the wireless transmission of data during the operation of the vehicle, and the non-contact or non-intrusive detection of phenomena emanating from a vehicle, that is relative to the operation of the vehicle.
The management of remote operating assets, such as vehicles, including but not limited to, trucks, ships, and railway locomotives, is a challenging logistical effort. The owners and/or leasors of such assets continually attempt to improve the efficiency of operations of these assets. For example, railroads must manage their fleets of locomotives to maximize the on-rail time in order to remain competitive with alternative modes of transportation. Such management systems typically incorporate maintenance services, in which vehicle condition-related data is continuously monitored and updated.
Operations of mobile assets may be burdened by overspending on maintenance, both in direct costs and in loss of productivity of the assets due to down time for maintenance of the vehicles. Unplanned down time of the mobile assets may not correspond to scheduled maintenance of vehicles; thereby, increasing operating costs. Timely delivery of information concerning the condition of component parts, and condition of vehicles, presents a substantial opportunity for productivity enhancement of these mobile assets. Accordingly, an inline system for monitoring vehicles is needed to determine the condition of certain components and an overall condition of the vehicle. With this information, maintenance schedules may be updated, reducing the downtime of a mobile asset and enhancing the productivity of the mobile assets in general.
Some systems are adapted for on-board analysis to provide real-time condition of the vehicle condition or health. Systems exist which include on-board sensors for detecting certain phenomena relative operating parameters of the vehicle. Data obtained from these sensors is stored on the vehicle computer systems. Typical monitoring systems require that data, relative to the operating parameters of the vehicle, and other information concerning the vehicle, is periodically downloaded from the vehicle computer systems when the vehicle is stopped for servicing. In addition, some systems are adapted for wireless transmission via satellite transmission and data links. However, such systems permit transmissions only at limited locations. In addition, systems do not presently exist that provide detection capabilities that are “off-board”, and transmit data during the online operation of a vehicle, in a non-intrusive manner.